Garage construction



March 11, 1930. H. L. WOOLFENDEN GARAGE CONSTRUCTI 0N Filed Kay 31, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet l I N VEN TOR.

HENRY L. WOOLFENDE/Y Y t A TTORNEY.

March 11, 1930. H.'L. WOOLFENDEN 1,749,793

7 GARAGE CONSTRUCTION 7 Filed May 31, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

HENRY L. W001. FENDEN BY A TTORNE Y.

Maren 11, 1930. I H. WOOLFENDEN 1,749,793

GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed Kay 31, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

fis/vm' L. W004 FENDE/V BY A TTORNE Y.

MarCh 1930. H. L. WOOLFENDEN GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Filed lay 31, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A TTORNE Y.

Jon/ 71mm 1M Patented Mar. 11, 1930 PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY L. WOOLFENDEN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN GARAGE CONSTRUCTION Application filed May 31, 1928. Serial No. 281,659.

This invention relates to multi-story structures for the housing of motor vehicles, in which a system of ramps is used to permit the vehicles to travel from floor to fioor'under their own power.

In similar structures of the usual type using a system of straight inclined ramps for passing from floor to floor, the intersection of the plane of the ramp with the plane of the floor occurs where the car is turning from the ramp onto the level floor, or vice .versa. In other words, the car is turning in a curve at the same time that it is changing from one plane to the other. As a result in certain positions, the inside wheels or those toward the axes of rotation, are momentarily at a higher. elevation than the outside wheels, whereas the latter should be suitably elevated abovethe inside Wheels to compensate for the over turning tendency due to centrifugal force. This inclination of the car in the .wrong direction may be termed negative or reversed banking, and results in a racking or twisting action of the car as well as a feeling 'of discomfort if the turn is made at an appreciable speed. The same undesirable condition maintains, though in a lesser degree,

in certain other positions in which there is a slight inclination of the car toward the axis of rotation, but. the inclination continues through only a portion of the turn. The condition is still further aggravated if the change is abrupt from the grade of the ramp to the position of horizontal travel, or viceversa; that is, if the change of grade is not effected gradually through the medium of a vertical easement curve.

The distance that the car travels in passing from floor to floor is of prime importance, and it is obvious that if the turn can be made while the car is on the grade, this travel distance will be materially shortened.

In structures heretofore built, as far as I am aware, attention has been devoted exclusively to the problem of getting vehicles from floor to floor, and to the permissible maximum grades, and littleif any thought has been given to the necessity or desirability of providing a travel path that is easy and comfortable'to drive and that eliminates ill efifects on the vehicle and its component parts.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a structure of the type described, in which the ramp system is so designed as to provide an easy and natural movement of a vehicle in traversing the same.

Another object is to provide a structure of the class described, in which the ramps will consume a minimum of floor space, and in which the "vehicles traveling the ramps from floor to floor will travel a minimum of distance in passing from floor to floor, while at the same time the grades are kept within very reasonable limits.

Another object is to provide a structure of the class described including two series of oppositely inclined ramps extending between the various floors of the structure, alternate ramps of each series being solely devoted to either up or down traflic.

Another object is to provide a structure ot the class described comprising two series or" oppositely inclined ramp structures, the end portions of each ramp of each series being curved in the direction of the cooperating ramp of the opposite series and banked downwardly towards the axes of the path of travel thereon.

Another object is to provide a structure of the class described provided with two series: 8 of oppositely inclined ramps, each ramp of which comprises relatively straight portion and inwardly curved end portions, the curved end portions being connected together by a cooperating path, and the curved end por- $5 tions and the cooperating path being banked from a minimum near the junction of the curved and the straight portions of the ramps to a maximum at some intermediate point.

Another object is to provide a structure p above described in which curved paths are provided adjacent the curved ends of a ramp and leading therefrom to the levels of the two floors which the ramp joins in a direction leading away from the path of travel on the corresponding curved ends of the ramp, these curved paths being banked downwardly towards the respective axes of travel so that the outer edges are at a superelevation to the inner edges until the floor levels are reached. 199

so designed thatany floor may be extended in any direction beyond the ramp unitand ready access to the travel paths of the ramps be maintained.

The above being among the Objects of the present invention the same consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, and

then claimed, having 'the above and other objectsin view.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate sultable'embodnnents of the present invention and in whichlike numerals refer to like parts throughout the several difierent Fig.1 is a-more or less fragmentary diagrammatic sectionalside elevation of a struc ture of the class described illustrating the two series ofoppositely extending ramps with which the structure is-prcvided.

1 Fig. 2 is a more or less diagrammaticbroken plan View taken through astructure of the class described, certain floors thereof being broken away to better illustrate the'present invention.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a more or less diagrammatic deyelopedvertical section taken through the .center of the path of "travel of the ramps shown inFig. 2. V

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on theline 5'-5 of Fig.2.

. Fig; 6 is a sectional view taken on'the line 6-6 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 7"sa sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig.2. Fig. 8 is a sectional .view taken on the line 88 of Fig, 2.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 99 of'Fig. 2.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on the line 1212 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 13 is a curve in which the elevation of the various portions of a typical ramp are plotted against the travel distance thereon.

In heretofore existing structures of the ramp type which are provided with inclined ways orramps extending between the various floors, and over which the vehicles utilizing the structure are adapted to be driven under theirv own power in order to pass from floor to floor, the construct1on has been such that l I v the vehicles must'travel an undue distance 1n passing from floor to floor, principally be cause of defects in the theory of design. Not only have the conventional constructions necessitated such excessive distance which the vehicle must travel, but as a result ofsuch constructions the ramps and aisle-ways con necting the same have consum'ed a greater amountof'fioor space thanIh'a've found nec- -essary,-and thereby the efficiency of the structure as. a whole has been reduced. Furthermore, asfar as I am aware, in existing struc-' tures ofthis type the vehicles in passing from one floor to another over the ramps are caused, 1

because of the constructionof the ramps, to be racked in'approaching or leaving a ramp. This is caused bythe fact thatinmost of such structures, the ramps arehorizontal in a direction transverse to their line of travel and the vehiclesenter the ramps at an angle thereto so that in certain positions the wheelson'" the inside of the vehicle are lifted be'fore the wheels on the outside which results in a twist being given to" the vehicle frame with consequent racking of the bodyand accentuates the tendency of the car to overturn dueito the centrifugal force acting on the: same. Fun I thermore, in structures of 'this type wherein the ramps are curved and are horizontal transversely to the pathoftravel, the effect is to give the passengers of-the vehicle traversing the ramps the uncomfortable Z feeling of being out of'balance, due to the sameuuncompensated action of centrifugal force.

In the presentinvention -a structureiispro vided in which are two series ofco'ppositely inclinedramps, eachrampof which includes a relatively straight'imid portion and curved end portions, the -straight gp'ortionsof the ramps of one series .being preferably spaced from the straight portions 'ofithe ramps of the other series a'distance equal to the depth of two car stalls 'plus thewidthrof an'aisle or driveway extending between the stalls, and

the end portions of the ramps are c'urvedEto same is-tilted inwardly towards the axis of the" path of travel, the eifect'of which is to give the passengers within the vehicle'the comfortable feeling of always being in balance.

By curving the endportions ofthevramps as described, verylittlaif'any, floorspace is consumed in passing'from ioneramp' to another so that substantially all the TfiOOI space consumedby the ramps andftheirtconnected paths is only"that-..offth'etrainpsithemselves. In bankingthe'ramps at their end portlons :I prefer to maintain the outer portion of the path of travel at a super-elevation to the floor on any portion of the floor space that may constitute a connecting path between the curved end portion of theramps.

Where conditions make it advisable, a parking space adjacent such superelevation on substantially the same level as the highest point thereof may be provided without presenting any unusual difliculties.

. :I also provide at each end of each ramp a curved pathway leading from each end portion of the ramp, such curved pathway leading away from such ramp in a direction opposite to the direction of travel of the ve hicle on the corresponding curved portion of the ramp, and I connect such curved pathway with the corresponding curved portion of the ramp by a path of travel so that vehicles may leave the ramp at such end portions when either going up or coming down the same, or may pass from the floor outside of the ramp directly onto the adjacent ramp, or pass such adjacent ramp and move directly onto the ramp most remote therefrom. These curved pathways are also banked downwardly in the direction of the axes of the line of travel thereon in a manner corresponding to the banking of the curved portions of the ramps previously described. As an illustration of the present invention I show in the accompanyng drawings a garage structurewhich may be considered as having aplurality of horizontal floors 27 28 and 29, which floors may be considered as having an extent commensurate with the groundarea of the building. As shown d1- agrammatically in Fig. 1, two series of ramps 22 and 23 respectively connect the various floors 27, 28 and 29, the ramps 22 of one series, as viewed in Fig. 1, extending upwardly from left to right and the series 23 extending upwardly right to left, as viewed in Fig. 1, the respective ramps of each series being in vertical alignment with each other. Alternate ramps of each series 22 and 23 cooperate with alternate ramps of the other series to form two continuous superimposed driveways between the various floors, each drive way being adapted to handle vehicular traffic in one direction only, thereby providing entirely separate paths for up and down traffic. As indicated in Fig. 2, the series 22 and 23 of the ramps are separated from each other by a distance equal to the depth of the car stalls 24 and 25 plus the width of the aisleway 26. The view in Fig. 2 is broken away to show fragments of the three floors 27, 28 and 29 which may be considered as the third, fourth and fifth floors respectively of a structure of the class described. One ramp of the series 22 is shown as connecting the third floor with the'fourth floor, and one ramp of the series 23 is shown connecting the fourth floor with the fifth floor, the two ramps being considered as devoted to upgoing traffic only so that the trafiic thereon will be deemed to travel in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2; while the traflic on the ramps immediately above and below those indicated will be devoted to downgoing traffic only moving in a clockwise direction. Obviously, upgoing traffic may use the lane which gives it a clockwise direction of travel and downgoing traific the lane which gives it a counterclockwise direction, if desired. Each of the ramps comprises a straight side portion 30 and curved end portions 31 and 32 respectively. In order to illustrate two modifications of the present invention I have shown the curved portions 31 of each ramp as extending to a point midway between the straight portions 30 of each series 22 and 23 so that the curved portions 31 actually meet with each other at such mid point, while the curved portions 32 of each ramp stop short of such mid point and the adjacent ends thereof may be connected together by a pathway such as 33 which in reality lforms no part of the ramp itself, in that vehicles passing over the same are neither elevated or depressed relative to the adja centfloor. T0 further illustrate the difference between these twomodifications, it may be assumed that the outer edge of the path of travel of the portions 31 for each pair of cooperating opposed ramps have a common center of curvature at 34, and that the outer edge of the path of travel of each curved portion 32 has its own circular center as at 35, the. centers 35lbing spaced from each other.v The portions 30, 31 and 32 cooperate to form a single ramp upon which a vehicle traveling the same is continuously either ascending or descending, while a vehicle on the portion 33 connecting the portions 32 neither ascends or descends. By making the distance between thev opposed straight portions 30 of opposite ramps ,the distance described, the maximum use ofthe floor space therebetween for storage purposes is obtained, and by curving the ends of the ramps inwardly, as described, the minimum of floor space, which will otherwise be useful for storage space, is utilized for the ramps themselves and in passing from one ramp to another ramp. M

It will be'understood, of course, that in any particular construction where the present invention isemployed, vthe ramps will preferably be constructed with the straight portions 30 having their ends curved as at 31, or as at 32, and not both the curved portions 31 and 32, as illustrated, except in those cases where the variation in the two curved ends, as illustrated, may be found beneficial for some reason or another. Should it be founddesirable to employ the curved end portions 31 in preference to the curved end portions 32, the alternateramps of oneseries will cooperate with'the alternate ramps of the opthe portions 31 are balikeddownwardlyto-' pose'd series to provide ac'ontinuously' ascendcenter line of the p'ath of travel of the portions 30, 31 and 32. It Will'benoted that the portions 30 and 31 provide a continuous ascent or descent on the same,'while the end portionot" the portion32 where it'joins'with the port-ion. 33'is gradually merged into the horizontaltoprovide a smooth curve meeting the portion 33 to obviate the sharp break in ascent "and descent found ins'o many of the existing conventional ramp structures.

In accordance withthe prese'nt invention wards the axis of the'path ofgtravehstarting from a minimum at-or near the 'pointof junction between the portions31 and 3O to a maximum intermediatethe portions'30, and

where the curved portions 32 are employed, they "are banked downwardly towards the axis of travel thereontrom a minimum at or near thepoint of junction wtih thep'ortions V 30 to almaximum preferably attlle point ofj unction with the p ortion i 33, the portion 33 being banked'alsoand preferably in accordance with'the maximum banking-0f the portions 32. All points on" the portions-31, 32

and 33 outwardly'the inner edge of the path oftravel of suchportionsare maintained at 'a'superelevationwith respect to the'inner edge of the path of travel thereon.

Furthermore, the amount at superelevationof the portions 31,32and 33 increases in accordance with the distance away from the inner edge o1. the path of travel. ,This'is best brought out in'thegraph shown in'Fig. 13 which illustratesthe elevations of the inside, intermediate and outside line of'the travel lane plotted against the lengthofsuchlancs from the midpoint of one of the straight p o1'-- tions 30 to the mid pointof another straight portion 30 y of a structure employing 'the curved end portions 32 connected together by the portion 33. Thismaybe taken asa typical example of a structure employing the present invention. It will be notedfrom'this graph that the elevation of the'intermediate line of travel lanefor theportions 32'and 33 is greater than th'atoffthe elevations on the insideline of the travel lane, while'the eleva-' tions of'the outsideline 'of'travel lanehave,

a muchfgrea'ter' valuewith respect to the intermediate line of travel lane'than the, intermediate linef'of travel lanehasw'it'hme'spect to the ins'ide line of'tr av'el' lane. This graph also 'showsplai'nl'y the effect of the vertical riv a-9279's cii'rv'eyintroduce'd at points :where there is a change of grade,- in providing a' smooth path the use of vertical curvesfwhere'ver there is a change of grade,'1s toelimmateracking of vehicles in ascending or descending I the ramps, to provide a maximum of comfort for the passengers, to shortenthe distance traveled in goingfrom floor to floor, and to greatly facilitate the flow of traiiic in and out "of the structure, all of whichzar-e' factors of the greatest importance in determining the ommercial practicability of such a structure. I

In the present invention 1 provide inner and outer abutments or railings 3G and 37 at the inner and outer edges of the path of travel along the straight-portions 30'of each ramp and extending a short distance onto the curved portions 31 and '32. The-floor between each series of ramps and between the end portions of theinner railings iscurved or warped either upwardlyor downwardly according to the superelevation or subjeleva- "U011 of the ad]acent ramp cooperating therewith, as the case'may be, so as to mergerinto the correspondlng end portions of the ramps as illustrated in Figs. 9,10, 11 and 12,- so

thata vehicle in approaching theffloor or leaving the space between the series 22 and 23 of the ramps on each fioor'may reach the floor from'the ramp, or'the' rampiromthe floor over a gradually'curving'surtace,free from anyabrupt angles.

" 'Where conditions permit, which will usually'be the case -witha',structure 'constructed in accordance with the present invention because of the relatively smallarea ofground surface enclo'sedbetween the two series of ramps, parking or storage areas on each floor outside of the path of travel on the ramps may be provided, and inFig. 2 a number of variations in such storage areas are shown. In some instances it maybe found advisable to form a storage area atthe ends, of the ramps, such as is mdicated at 4:0 in

Fig. 2, of a depth equal tothe, depth of one stall or more, in which case, a vehicletraveling on the ramps or connecting path'may be driven directly into its stall on such storage area I0. In such a case, the outeriline of travel lane on the portions 32 and 33 being at a superelevation with the corres'pondin-g floor, it .may be desirable, as illustrated in "In Figs. 3 and 5, to maintain thev area 40' at substantially the same elevation as the elevation of the outer -line of travel lane, which thus establishes such portions 40 at a slight superelevation to the corresponding floor.

downwardly away from the travellane "so Fur- I: thermore, in order to prevent any vehicle thus.

that the natural tendency will be for the vehicle to move away from the travel lane. Storage areas such as 41 and 4:2 separated by aisleways 43 may also be provided outside of the side portions of the ramps, as indicated ig. 2, and where conditions permit, these may be supplemented by additional storage spaces 44 and 4:5 separated by aisleways46, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Where a greater area at the end of the ramps than that shown at is obtainable, one or more storage areas such as 47 and 48 separated by an aisleway 49 may be provided, as illustrated in Fig. 2. In such case, the areas 47, 48 and 49 are preferably on the same level as the remainder of the floor level and suitable pathways leading to or from the adjacent superelevated poi tion of the ramp are provided for vehicles approachinga ramp or leaving the same. Such pathways may be as'shown at 50, 51, 52 and 53 in the accompanying drawings. Each ofthese pathways preferably extends outwardly from each end of each straight portion 30 with approximately the same curvature in a horizontal plane as the corresponding portion 31 or 32, as the case may be,'and each ofthese curved paths are prei} erab'ly banked downwardly towards the axis of the path of travel thereon andmerge at their ends into the level of the cooperating floorl It will be noted that by this construction a so-called hump-will be made between adjacent outer edges of the path of travel of each of these curved paths and the corresponding curved portion of the ramp. I have indicated in the drawings by the numeral 54 the hump between the path and the cooperating curved end 31 of the adjacent ramp andthe remaining humps cooperating withthe paths5l,.52 and 53 as 55, 56 and 57 respectively. These humps are rounded off at their edgeslsoxas to gradually merge with the cooperating curved portions 31 or 32 of the ramps and with the cooperating paths 50, 51,'52 or 53,so.as to provide a smooth path of travel over the same in order that a vehicle on oneside of the building may pass, for instance, from the floor or storage space on that side of the building onto the curved pathway 50 over the hump 54 onto the curved portions31 betweenthe corresponding ramps and onto the straight portion 30 of the ramp most remote from itsoriginal point of storage, or may pass into theaisleway 26 between the two series of ramps. This provides means whereby a vehicle passing from a floor up a ramp may easily reach'the same from any point on'the floor and it also provides means whereby any vehicle ascending or descending a ramp may pass directly to any point onany floor without interfering with the passage of other vehicles on the travel lane of the ramps. It will furtherbe apparent, of course, that'a vehicle traveling up any ramp may turn directly from theend'of the ramp into the aisleway 26 and there proceed to the opposite end of the aisleway and there run onto the particular ramp leading down from such floor reserved for the use of downgoing vehicles only.

In order to provide visibility for the drivers of the vehicles utilizing the ramps so that they may readily see another vehicle approaching, traveling on. or leaving a ramp upon which the driver in question wishes to place his vehicle, I form the railings 36 at a height preferably not exceeding three feet from a point extending upwardly on each ramp from each floor to a pointsubstantially midway the straight portion 30 of the corresponding ramp. This leaves relatively wide openings 59 between the railings and the floor above which permits the driver of a vehicle in approaching a floor from a ramp to see a relatively wide area of the floor on both sides of the ramp a material distance before reaching the level of the floor, and also permits a driver approaching a ramp from a floor to observe a vehicle approaching the floor on a ramp while the latter is still a considerable distance from the floor. The railings 36 and 37 above the. mid point of the portions 30 are preferably extended up to the floor thereabove so that fire doors may be positioned at the midpoint of each of the straight portions 30 so that when closed they kfzlompletely seal one floor from the adjacent oor.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit or substance of the broad invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

IVhat I claim is:

I 1. In combination, a pair of substantially level superposed vertically spaced floors, a ramp extending between said floors comprising a straight portion and curved end portions, the inner edge of the path of travel of said curved end portions terminating at each floor in the plane thereof and the outer edge of the path of travel of said curved end portions terminating at each floor at a superelevation with respect thereto, the floor adjacent to each of said ramp ends being warped to merge into said ramp ends.

2. In combination, a pair of substantially level superposed vertically spaced floors, a ramp extending between said floors comprising a straight portion and curved end portions, the inner edge of the path of travel of saidcurved end portions terminating at each floor in the plane thereof and the outer edge of the path of travel of said curved end portions terminating at each floor at a superelevation with respect thereto, and a pathway at eachfloor mer ing into thec'orre sponding of said curve end portions at one end and merging-into the plane of the floor atthe other end thereof.

3. In combination, a pair of substantially level superposed vertically spaced fioors, a ramp extending between said floors comprising a straight portion and curved end portions, the inner edge of the path of travel of said curved end portions terminating at each floor in the plane thereof and the outer edge 4L In combination, a pair of substantially level: superposed vertically spaced floors, a ramp extendingbetween said floors comprising, v a straight portion and curved end iportions, the inner edgeof the pathof-travel of saidjcurved end portions terminating at each floor, in the plane thereof andtheouter edge ofthe path of travel'ofsaid curved endportionsterminating at each floor at a superelevation-withirespect thereto, and a pathway at each floor merging into. the correspondingfof said curved end portions at one end and merging into theplane ofthefioor at the other end thereof, said pathway being banked downwardly towards the axis of the path of travel thereonifrom a maximum at said rampto a minimum at the point. where vehicles thereon; debouch upon thecorresponding floor.

5. In combination, a pair, of substantially level superposed vertically spaced floors, a ramp extending between said floors comprising a'straight' portion and curved ,end portions,,the inner edge of the path oftravel of said curved end'portions terminating at each floor in the plane thereof and the outeredge t of the pathof travel of'said curvedendvportions terminating at each floor at asuperelevation with 1 respect thereto, a pathway at each-floor merging into. the correspondingof said'curved end portions at one end; and

merging into the plane of the-floor atthe other end thereof, and other pathways connecting each of the first mentioned pathways and the corresponding curved end portions of said ramp. g V g i 6. In combination, a pair of substantially level superposed vertically spaced floors; a ramp extending'between said floors comprising a straight portionand curved 'end'portions, the inner edgeof thepath of travel of said curved end portions terminating at each floorin the plane thereof andithe outer edge ofrthepath ofitravel ofcsaid curved end portions terminating at: each floor: 2111a: superelevationwith .I'GSPBCllsthGI'fiilQ, a pathway; at each';floor.;merging into the corresponding of said. curved. end portions at one, end and merging into the plane of the floor at the other 7 end thereof, and other pathways connecting each of the first mentioned pathways-and the corresponding curved end portions of said ramp, the last mentioned pathways extending substantially perpendicular. to, saidv straight portion.

7. In a structure of the class described, in. V

combination, a horizontal floor, aramp extending upwardly from said floor aramp adjacent end portions of; said ramps in: a

smooth curve. p

8. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a horizontal-floor, awramps ex: tending upwardlyfrom said floor,ga,ramp extending downwardly from said floor, said ramps comprising a; straight; portion com nected with said floor by v a curved end portion, said curved end portions terminatingwat said floor'in adjacent relationship withire specttoeac'h vother and each iofsaidgcurved' end portions being bankedwith a maximum degree of banking at'their line'of termination at saidfloor, and a pathway connecting the adjacent ends of ,cooperatingqramps banked in accordance with the-maximumzbanking of said ends; said "pathway, merging into said floor along an edge .of, saidgpathway.

-9QI'n a structure ofltheclass described, in

combination, a; plurality of floors, two series of oppositely inclined ramps connectin'ggsaid floors, one ramp of. each series connecting each pair of adjacent floors, ,each'ramp com: prising a straight portion andcurved end portions, thecurved end portion of avramp of oneseries terminating adjacent. the curved end portion of arcooperating ramp'ofythe other series to provide two substantially con,-

tinuous. and independent inclined pathways between floors, saidicurved end portions: be-

ing banked downwardly towards; the axis of the path of travel thereon fromia .minimtnn adjacent said straight portions to a maximum ,therebetween, and said floorsc'cbeing warped to mergeinto' the corresponding curved'end portions of 'saidrampsi 10. In :a structureof the class described, in

combination, a plurality. ofisuperposed horie.

Zontal floors, two, series of oppositely inclined. ramps connecting said fioorsgeach: rampr'of each, series connecting a pair of adjacent floors, and each ramp ,ofeach'series comprise ing straight. central portion and a curved end; portions, the: straight 1 portions of. each seriesof ramps being parallel inrplarr view with the'straight portions of the other of said series, and the curved end portions of each ramp of each series terminating at and merging into the floors connected thereby and adjacent to and in the direction of the path of travel on the curved end portions of the cooperating ramps of the other of said series, and curved pathways leading off of each of said ramps from the ends of each ofsaid straight portions in a direction opposite to the direction of curvature of the corresponding curved end portion of said ramps and merging into the corresponding floors.

11. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a plurality of superposed horizontal floors, two series of oppositely inclined ramps connecting said floors, each ramp of each series connecting a pair of adjacent floors, and each ramp of each series comprising a straight central portion and curved end portion, the straight portions of each series of ramps being parallel in plan View with the straight portions of the other of said series, and the curved end portions of each ramp of each series terminating at and merging into i the floors connected thereby and adjacent to and in the direction of the path of travel on the curved end portions of the cooperating ramps of the other of said series, and curved pathways leading off of each of said ramps from the ends of each of said straight portions in a direction opposite to the direction of curvature of the corresponding curved end portion of said ramps and merging into corresponding floors, and other pathways connecting each of said curved pathways with the corresponding curved end portion of each of said ramps.

12. In a structure of the class described, in combination, a horizontal floor, a ramp extending upwardly from said floor, a ramp extending downwardly from said floor, each of said ramps comprising a straight portion connected to said floor by a curved end portion, said curved end portions terminating at said floor in opposed and adjacent relationship with respect to each other, the inner edge of the path of travel of said curved end portions terminating at said floor in the plane thereof, the outer edge of the path of travel of said curved end portions terminating at said floor at a'superelevation with respect thereto, and a pathway connecting said curved end portions, the inner edge of said pathway merging into said floor, and the outer edge of said pathway extending from ramp end to ramp end at a superelevation with respect to said floor.

HENRY L. WOOLFENDEN. 

